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SWAZILAND
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The official figure of population occupying Swaziland is 985 000. Approximately 53,54 people per square kilometre. Swaziland is landlocked in the east by Mozambique and on the other borders by South Africa.
HISTORY
Swazis themselves are relative newcomers - as are most of South Africa's peoples, black and white - having been part of a migration from the Great Lakes of central and east Africa around 1750 when the Nguni moved down the east coast to Delogoa Bay and later settled between the Lubombo mountains (now Swaziland's eastern border) and the Indian ocean. Among their clan leaders was Nkosi Dlamini, forefather of today's royal clan. The Zulu and Xhosa took the same route and the Zulu expansion under Shaka later led to the Dlaminis crossing the Lubombo. At their high point of power the Swazi nation controlled part of the Gauteng and their kingdom was twice its present size. The confederation of clans, which made up the nation was ruled by Mswati the first between 1840 and 1868, from whom the word 'Swazi' derives. But at the same time other influences were intruding: those of Boer farmers and English missionaries. The Boers were also interested because Swaziland blocked their way to the Indian Ocean coast. Then in 1879 gold was discovered and a torrent of fortune hunters arrived seeking concessions from the King for anything and everything, from refreshment bars to clothing shops. The conflicts of interest led to the British and Gauteng governments defining the north, west and south boundaries: and the Swazis losing much agricultural land. | |
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